NERISSA Z. PEREZ, petitioner, vs.

THE COURT OF APPEALS (Ninth Division) and RAY

C. PEREZ, respondents.
DECISION
ROMERO, J.:

Parties herein would have this Court duplicate the feat of King Solomon who was
hailed in Biblical times for his sagacious, if, at times unorthodox, manner of
resolving conflicts, the most celebrated case being that when his authority was
invoked to determine the identity of the real mother as between two women
claiming the same infant. Since there could only be one mother, the daunting task
that confronted the king/judge was to choose the true one.

In the instant case, we are faced with the challenge of deciding, as between father
and mother, who should have rightful custody of a child who bears in his person
both their genes.

While there is a provision of law squarely in point, the two courts whose authority
have been invoked to render a decision have arrived at diametrically opposite
conclusions.

It has fallen upon us now to likewise act as judge between the trial court, on the one
hand, and the appellate, on the other.

On the issue of custody over the minor Ray Perez II, respondent Court of Appeals
ruled in favor of the boys father Ray C. Perez, reversing the trial courts decision to
grant custody to Nerissa Z. Perez, the childs mother.

Ray Perez, private respondent, is a doctor of medicine practicing in Cebu while

Nerissa, his wife who is petitioner herein, is a registered nurse. They were married in
Cebu on December 6, 1986. After six miscarriages, two operations and a high-risk
pregnancy, petitioner finally gave birth to Ray Perez II in New York on July 20, 1992.

Petitioner who began working in the United States in October 1988, used part of her
earnings to build a modest house in Mandaue City, Cebu. She also sought medical
attention for her successive miscarriages in New York. She became a resident alien
in February 1992.

Private respondent stayed with her in the U.S. twice and took care of her when she
became pregnant. Unlike his wife, however, he had only a tourist visa and was not
employed.

On January 17, 1993, the couple and their baby arrived in Cebu. After a few weeks,
only Nerissa returned to the U.S. She alleged that they came home only for a fiveweek vacation and that they all had round-trip tickets. However, her husband
stayed behind to take care of his sick mother and promised to follow her with the
baby. According to Ray, they had agreed to reside permanently in the Philippines
but once Nerissa was in New York, she changed her mind and continued working.
She was supposed to come back immediately after winding up her affairs there.

When Nerissa came home a few days before Ray IIs first birthday, the couple was no
longer on good terms. That their love for each other was fading became apparent
from their serious quarrels. Petitioner did not want to live near her in-laws and rely
solely on her husbands meager income of P5,000.00.1 She longed to be with her
only child but he was being kept away from her by her husband. Thus, she did not
want to leave RJ (Ray Junior) with her husband and in-laws. She wished for her son
to grow up with his mother.

On the other hand, Ray wanted to stay here, where he could raise his son even as
he practiced his profession. He maintained that it would not be difficult to live here
since they have their own home and a car. They could live comfortably on his P
15,000.00 monthly income2 as they were not burdened with having to pay any
debts.

Petitioner was forced to move to her parents home on Guizo Street in Mandaue.
Despite mediation by the priest who solemnized their marriage, the couple failed to
reconcile.

On July 26, 1993, Nerissa Z. Perez filed a petition for habeas corpus3 asking
respondent Ray C. Perez to surrender the custody of their son, Ray Z. Perez II, to
her.

On August 27, 1993, the court a quo issued an Order awarding custody of the oneyear old child to his mother, Nerissa Perez, citing the second paragraph of Article
213 of the Family Code which provides that no child under seven years of age shall
be separated from the mother, unless the court finds compelling reasons to order
otherwise. The dispositive portion of the Order reads:

WHEREFORE, foregoing premises considered, Order is hereby issued ordering the

respondent to turn over the custody of their child Ray Cortes Perez II, his passport
and roundtrip ticket to herein petitioner with a warning that if he will escape
together with the child for the purpose of hiding the minor child instead of
complying with this Order, that warrant for his arrest will be issued.

SO ORDERED.4

Upon appeal by Ray Perez, the Court of Appeals, on September 27, 1994, reversed
the trial courts order and awarded custody of the boy to his father.5

Petitioners motion for reconsideration having been denied,6 she filed the instant
petition for review where the sole issue is the custody of Ray Perez II, now three
years old.

Respondent court differed in opinion from the trial court and ruled that there were
enough reasons to deny Nerissa Perez custody over Ray II even if the child is under
seven years old. It held that granting custody to the boys father would be for the
childs best interest and welfare.7

Before us is the unedifying situation of a husband and wife in marital discord,

struggling for custody of their only child. It is sad that petitioner and private
respondent have not found it in their hearts to understand each other and live

together once again as a family. Separated in fact, they now seek the Courts
assistance in the matter of custody or parental authority over the child.

The wisdom and necessity for the exercise of joint parental authority need not be
belabored. The father and the mother complement each other in giving nurture and
providing that holistic care which takes into account the physical, emotional,
psychological, mental, social and spiritual needs of the child. By precept and
example, they mold his character during his crucial formative years.

However, the Courts intervention is sought in order that a decision may be made as
to which parent shall be given custody over the young boy. The Courts duty is to
determine whether Ray Perez II will be better off with petitioner or with private
respondent. We are not called upon to declare which party committed the greater
fault in their domestic quarrel.

When the parents of the child are separated, Article 213 of the Family Code is the
applicable law. It provides:

ART. 213. In case of separation of the parents, parental authority shall be exercised
by the parent designated by the Court. The Court shall take into account all relevant
considerations, especially the choice of the child over seven years of age, unless
the parent chosen is unfit.

No child under seven years of age shall be separated from the mother, unless the
court finds compelling reasons to order otherwise. (Italics supplied)

Since the Code does not qualify the word separation to mean legal separation
decreed by a court, couples who are separated in fact, such as petitioner and
private respondent, are covered within its terms.8

The Revised Rules of Court also contains a similar provision. Rule 99, Section 6
(Adoption and Custody of Minors) provides:

SEC. 6. Proceedings as to child whose parents are separated. Appeal. - When

husband and wife are divorced or living separately and apart from each other, and
the questions as to the care, custody, and control of a child or children of their
marriage is brought before a Court of First Instance by petition or as an incident to
any other proceeding, the court, upon hearing the testimony as may be pertinent,
shall award the care, custody, and control of each such child as will be for its best
interest, permitting the child to choose which parent it prefers to live with if it be
over ten years of age, unless the parent chosen be unfit to take charge of the child
by reason of moral depravity, habitual drunkenness, incapacity, or poverty x x x. No
child under seven years of age shall be separated from its mother, unless the court
finds there are compelling reasons therefor. (Italics supplied)

The provisions of law quoted above clearly mandate that a child under seven years
of age shall not be separated from his mother unless the court finds compelling
reasons to order otherwise. The use of the word shall in Article 213 of the Family
Code and Rule 99, Section 6 of the Revised Rules of Court connotes a mandatory
character. In the case of Lacson v. San Jose-Lacson,9 the Court declared:

The use of the word shall in Article 36310 of the Civil Code, coupled with the
observations made by the Code Commission in respect to the said legal provision,
underscores its mandatory character. It prohibits in no uncertain terms the
separation of a mother and her child below seven years, unless such separation is
grounded upon compelling reasons as determined by a court.11

The rationale for awarding the custody of children younger than seven years of age
to their mother was explained by the Code Commission:

The general rule is recommended in order to avoid many a tragedy where a mother
has seen her baby torn away from her. No man can sound the deep sorrows of a
mother who is deprived of her child of tender age. The exception allowed by the rule
has to be for compelling reasons for the good of the child; those cases must indeed
be rare, if the mothers heart is not to be unduly hurt. If she has erred, as in cases of
adultery, the penalty of imprisonment and the divorce decree (relative divorce) will
ordinarily be sufficient punishment for her. Moreover, moral dereliction will not have
any effect upon the baby who is as yet unable to understand her situation. (Report
of the Code Commission, p. 12)12

The Family Code, in reverting to the provision of the Civil Code that a child below
seven years old should not be separated from the mother (Article 363), has
expressly repealed the earlier Article 17, paragraph three of the Child and Youth
Welfare Code (Presidential Decree No. 603) which reduced the childs age to five
years.13

The general rule that a child under seven years of age shall not be separated from
his mother finds its raison detre in the basic need of a child for his mothers loving
care.14 Only the most compelling of reasons shall justify the courts awarding the
custody of such a child to someone other than his mother, such as her unfitness to
exercise sole parental authority. In the past the following grounds have been
considered ample justification to deprive a mother of custody and parental
authority: neglect, abandonment,15 unemployment and immorality,16 habitual
drunkenness,17 drug addiction, maltreatment of the child, insanity and being sick
with a communicable disease.18

It has long been settled that in custody cases,19 the foremost consideration is
always the Welfare and best interest of the child. In fact, no less than an
international instrument, the Convention on the Rights of the Child provides: In all
actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare
institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best
interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.20

Courts invariably look into all relevant factors presented by the contending parents,
such as their material resources, social and moral situations.21

In the case at bench, financial capacity is not a determinative factor inasmuch as

both parties have demonstrated that they have ample means.

Respondent court stated that petitioner has no permanent place of work in the
U.S.A. and has taken this point against her. The records, however, show that she is
employed in a New York hospital22 and was, at the time the petition was filed, still
abroad.23 She testified that she intends to apply for a job elsewhere, presumably to
improve her work environment and augment her income, as well as for
convenience.24 The Court takes judicial notice of the fact that a registered nurse,
such as petitioner, is still very much in demand in the United States. Unlike private
respondent, a doctor who by his own admission could not find employment there,

petitioner immediately got a job in New York. Considering her skill and experience,
petitioner should find no difficulty in obtaining work elsewhere, should she desire to
do so.

The decision under review casts doubt on petitioners capability to take care of the
child, particularly since she works on twelve-hour shifts thrice weekly, at times,
even at night. There being no one to help her look after the child, it is alleged that
she cannot properly attend to him. This conclusion is as unwarranted as it is
unreasonable. First, her present work schedule is not so unmanageable as to
deprive her of quality time for Ray II. Quite a number of working mothers who are
away from home for longer periods of time are still able to raise a family well,
applying time management principles judiciously. Second, many a mother, finding
herself in such a position, has invited her own mother or relative to join her abroad,
providing the latter with plane tickets and liberal allowances, to look after the child
until he is able to take care of himself. Others go on leave from work until such time
as the child can be entrusted to day-care centers. Delegating child care temporarily
to qualified persons who run day-care centers does not detract from being a good
mother, as long as the latter exercises supervision, for even in our culture, children
are often brought up by housemaids or yayas under the eagle eyes of the mother.
Third, private respondents work schedule was not presented in evidence at the trial.
Although he is a general practitioner, the records merely show that he maintains a
clinic, works for several companies on retainer basis and teaches part-time.25
Hence, respondent courts conclusion that his work schedule is flexible (and h)e can
always find time for his son26 is not well-founded. Fourth, the fact that private
respondent lives near his parents and sister is not crucial in this case. Fifth,
petitioners work schedule cited in the respondent courts decision is not necessarily
permanent. Hospitals work in shifts and, given a mothers instinctive desire to lavish
upon her child the utmost care, petitioner may be expected to arrange her schedule
in such a way as to allocate time for him. Finally, it does not follow that petitioner
values her career more than her family simply because she wants to work in the
United States. There are any number of reasons for a persons seeking a job outside
the country, e.g. to augment her income for the familys benefit and welfare, and for
psychological fulfillment, to name a few. In the instant case, it has been shown that
petitioner earned enough from her job to be able to construct a house for the family
in Mandaue City. The record describes sketchily the relations between Ray and
Nerissa Perez. The transcripts of the three hearings are inadequate to show that
petitioner did not exert earnest efforts and make sacrifices to save her marriage.

It is not difficult to imagine how heart-rending it is for a mother whose attempts at

having a baby were frustrated several times over a period of six years to finally bear
one, only for the infant to be snatched from her before he has even reached his first

year. The mothers role in the life of her child, such as Ray II, is well-nigh
irreplaceable. In prose and poetry, the depth of a mothers love has been
immortalized times without number, finding as it does, its justification, not in
fantasy but in reality.

WHEREFORE, the petition for review is GRANTED. The decision of the Court of
Appeals dated September 27, 1994 as well as its Resolution dated January 24, 1995
are hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE. The Order of the trial court dated August 27,
1993 is hereby REINSTATED. Custody over the minor Ray Z. Perez II is awarded to
his mother, herein petitioner Nerissa Z. Perez. This decision is immediately
executory.